Seth's Training Log

New to logging this stuff on the internet, but Ill start with that tomorrow. Just a few things to start this off:

Height: 5'9 1/2

Weight: 190-194. I have been competing at 198, but weighed in at 183 for my last meet. Will most likely try to cut to 181 for NASA Iowa Regionals in October.

Squat: Gym PR- 335 Meet PR- 331

Bench (paused): Gym PR- 245 Meet PR- 242 I am not sure what my touch and go max is because I haven't maxed without a pause forever

Deadlift: Gym and Meet PR- 468

My first meet i totaled 1003, which I was excited about because my big goal was to total over 1000. My second meet in July I totaled 1041. This was a little disappointing for me, so I'm trying to work extra hard to have a great meet in October. My goal is to total 1100.

I suppose I'll write a little bit about how I train. I train westside style with a max effort day for squat and bench, and then a dynamic effort day for squat and bench. I will be working some GPP in on my off days now as well, as I am much less busy since I am done coaching for the summer. My splits right now look like this: MONDAY- ME squat/deadlift WEDNESDAY- ME Bench FRIDAY- DE squat/deadlift SATURDAY- DE bench press. Since Grand Nationals I have set my workout up to have 4 week cycles, with the last cycle being Monday- squat, Wednesday- bench, and Friday-Deadlift. I decided to do this to be able to judge my progress and make adjustments, along with the fact that I wanted to do the actual big 3 lifts more often. Westside training has you do similar lifts to the big 3, but usually none of that during your training cycle, so I hadn't been doing squat, bench, and deadliest up until the last 3 weeks before meets. We will see how my idea works out come October 27th.

I have also entered a bench press and deadliest competition at the Iowa State Fair on August 11 just for something fun to do. I'm not taking any time off to prepare for this meet. I'm planning on benching heavy on the Wednesday before, and just using the meet as my deadlift workout on saturday. I may stop at the YMCA on my way home just to get a little accessory work in. Thats all for now.

Real quick just a correction from yesterday i meant the 4th week of each cycle is squat bench deadlift. Whoops.

Alright so today was a ME squat day, and it went pretty well.

Goodmornings
Bx8
95X5
135x5
155x5
185x5
205x5
225x3
240x3
255x3
265x3 (new 3 rep PR)

Glute/Ham Raise
25x8x4

Reverse Hypers-I used the glute/ham machine and looped a blue exercise band through the legs. I used a 10 lb dumbbell to hold it with my feet
band+10x8x3

Hammer Curls
35'sx12x3

Cable Pulldown Abs (in kilos)
62.5x15x2
67.5x15x3

Hanging Leg Raise
BWx20x3

Overall it was a good day, pretty beat after a day of doing concrete and then heavy legs. Just a quick note that this program is one I've seen on multiple web sites, but I'm trying to tweak it to target my weaknesses and make it better. If anyone has any tips or ideas I'd love to hear them.

I know that work outside and not want to lift feel, bro. Building patios when it's 100 degrees sucks some serious nuts. Working indoors for the first time ever this summer has been awesome. Try getting as much sleep as humanly possible.

For your GPP/off days, you could experiment with turning them into squat days. The Jung Dawg had been doing the typical Westside template with one ME and one DE squat day, but added an extra squat day and it seemed to really progress his squat to #2 in the nation (which I'm taking partial credit for). That's probably going to be one of the fastest ways to get 100.

Nathan, this idea may interest me. I was thinking if I added another squat day in I might mess around with a little olympic lifting those days too. The only problem is I don't know where I should fit that in with my other splits. Any ideas? I just don't want to hamper my speed squat days. Hows this look:

Monday: ME Squat
Tuesday: ME Bench
Wednesday: Off/GPP
Thursday: DE Squat
Friday: Squat workout of some kind/oly lifts
Saturday: DE Bench
Sunday: Off

The only thing is that lately I've been sore as balls after my DE squat workouts so I just want to make sure I can handle squatting a decent amount of weight the next day. This might because they are such high volume right now which I'm not used too, but this will most likely go away soon. How would you set it up? Here's another idea.

Monday: ME Squat
Tuesday:DE Bench
Wednesday: DE Squat
Thursday: Off/GPP
Friday: Squat workout of some kind/oly lifts
Saturday: ME Bench
Sunday: Off

Moving on from that, I did 20 5 yard sprints today for a little GPP. My lower back feels good after going heavy on good mornings yesterday, which is a plus because it always worries me since I hurt it earlier this summer.

Going off the first template, doing either your extra squat session or your oly lifts after DE bench might not be a bad idea since that usually isn't too taxing. Then do what you didn't do on the DE bench day the next day. The more frequently you squat though, the less of a toll it will probably take on you and then it really won't matter when you do an extra squat day. Seems odd the DE squat leaves you spent the next day. Are you doing the typical eight sets of three/ten sets of two at 50-65%?

I think it is because of the single leg squats I have in this cycle. I don't do a whole of of single leg work, so my body is not accustomed to it. Only one more week of those though. After this bench press/deadlift competition next week I'm going to start working in an extra squat day with some oly lifts somewhere. I know its far off but I'm thinking I will probably run a 13 week cycle of smolov for squats as well as some smolov jr for bench after the October meet. I've been reading a lot of good things about it and I see that you and Logan have done it.

Heres my workout from today:

Board Press (2 board)
Bx8
95x5
135x5
165x5
195x5
215x5
225x3
235x3
245x3
255x2 (failed 3rd rep)

Lying DB tri extension
85x10x5

Pushdowns (in kilos)
77.5x10x2
82.5x10

One arm press
50x15x3

Face pulls (in kilos)
32.5x12x3

My whole workout today was a grind, from the first rep to the last. Was pretty beat from work today, drilling holes in concrete kind of takes the feeling out of your forearms and hands. I still hit every rep but it felt a lot harder than normal. I'm ready to be done working so I can lift with a fresh body every day.

The full 13 weeks might not be necessary. Depending on how long you've been doing extra squat sessions, you might be able to skip the intro cycle which just acclimates you to squatting multiple times a week and the switching/speed cycle didn't do anything for me or the Big Dawg.

Nathan, I will consider that when I start squatting 3 times a week after this week.

Yesterday I was in Iowa City moving my girlfriend in, so I hit up the CRWC to get a DE squat workout in.

8/3

Box Squat (1 min rest)
175x2
185x2x9

DE Deadlifts (1 min rest)
235x2x5

Reverse Hypers
green band x 8x3

Single Leg Squat (reps by each leg)
BWx10x4

DB Rows
80sx6x4

BB Shrugs
225x15
245x15x2

Notes: After working outside 8 hours, moving my girlfriend and her roommate up to the 3rd floor, and this workout, its pretty safe to say I was pooped

Heres todays workout

8/4

Bench Press (1 min rest)
145x3x10

Lying DB Tri Extension
35sx8x2
40sx8x2

DB Side Raise
25sx10
30sx10x2

Bent Over DB Side Raise
30sx10
35sx10x2

DB Shoulder Press
45sx8
50sx8x2

Notes: 1 week from today is the state fair bench/deadlift competition. I'm going to try to set a couple PRs!

Did a squat workout yesterday and it felt great.

Squat
95x8
135x5
165x5
185x5
205x5
225x5
255x3
275x3
295x3
315x3

GHR
25x8x3

Pullthroughs (kilos)
62.5x8
72.5x8x2

Toe Touches
x50x3

Notes: Squat felt good. 295x3 was shaky, but 315x3 felt way better which was a new 3 rep max. I felt like i could have hit another set of 325x3 but I was running short on time so I had to save that for another day. Overall good workout.

Did a bench workout today to find my opener for saturday.

Bench Press
Bx8
95x5
135x5
155x5
185x5
205x5
225x3
235x3
245x1
255x0

Tri Pushdown
62.5x10
72.5x12
77.5x12x2

Standing OH DB Tri Extension
80x8
80x6x2

DB Side Raise
20sx12x3

Notes: I wasn't trying to max on bench today, just find my opener and a good 2nd attempt. I will probably go 225 to open and 245 2nd attempt. After I hit both of those I would LOVE to hit 250 or more, since that seems to be the number that my pathetic bench cannot cross. It did feel good today. I've been trying to keep my lifts short all week because of the meet saturday.

Best of luck man, get after it

Thank you sir. Ill post on here how i do sometime afterwards.

Best of luck. I don't think we can get down there tomorrow to see it, so you'll have to let us know how you do.

May the schwartz be with you.

The meet yesterday went pretty well. I went 5 for 6. Bench Press I opened with 225 and then jumped to 245. Both went up easy. For my 3rd attempt I went with 255. It came off my chest pretty quick, and I got it literally to the rack. For some reason this is where I got stuck, I just needed to lock out my elbows. This would have been a new PR, as I tied my current PR with my 2nd attempt. I don't feel like my bench has hit a plateau, but it could definitely use a kick start if anyone has any ideas. I ended up 2nd in my division for bench being that there was only 2 of us and the other guy put up 330. I didn't expect much from this meet anyways. Deadlift went well. I hit a new PR. I opened at 425, then jumped to 455. These both went up without too much struggle. For my 3rd attempt I had a successful pull at 480, which is a new PR. I did not end up placing in deadlift. Can't say I was disappointed though as my division went up to 33 year olds and the first and second place finishers both pulled 600. This was a much more competitive meet than I thought and it was a lot of fun. Took a little longer than I expected but that goes for about every meet. I'm starting new training splits this week so I can add in another squat day. They look like this:

Sunday: ME bench day
Monday: ME squat day
Tuesday: off/GPP maybe
Wednesday: DE bench day
Thursday: DE squat day
Friday: extra squat day/oly lifts

I'm gonna try to get down the the CRWC today sometime to just get some assistance work since I benched heavy yesterday. Oh yeah I moved down to IC yesterday as well, so don't be surprised to see me around.

Got some assistance work at the CRWC. My elbow bothered me a little bit on the first few sets of JM press, but as I got heavier it went away.

JM press
bx8
85x7
95x5
115x5
135x5
155x5
175x3
185x3

Incline DB press
60sx10
65sx10

Seated DB cleans
15sx8x4

Straight leg raise
BWx15x5

Nice pulling! You've probably got 500 just in time to impress the gym bros when their numbers are greatest. Was that Wes Keith who pulled 600?

Thanks man thats the goal! I'm not sure there were two guys that pulled 600 at 198 in my division. They were both guys I've seen at the NASA meets, although this is the first time I'd seen one compete.

Heres my workout from today:

Low box squats
bx8
95x5
135x5
165x5
185x5
205x3
225x3
235x3
250x2
250x3

GHR
45x5x5

Partial deadlifts
185x20x3

Pendlay rows
185x8x3

Reverse hypers
green bandx8x3

Pulldown abs
77.5x12x2
82.5x12x3

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3cc-wJcjwg&feature=plcp

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8UdOfElE9k&feature=plcp

I'm not sure how to embed the videos so I just put links

I got some raised heel weightlifting shoes, and this is my first time doing a squat movement in them. I really liked them, the stability was nice.

The low box squats I had the box an inch or two below my stick spot. You can kind of tell when I straighten out and my butt drops pretty quick.

DE bench workout

bench press (1 min rest, 5 normal grip, 2 close grip, 3 wide grip)
145x3x10

close grip bench
145x7
165x5
185x5
205x3
225x3

one arm overhead db extension
35x10x3 each arm

front plate raise
45x10x3

face pulls (kilos)
32.5x10
37x5x10
42.5x10

notes: felt strong on the close grip bench, could have gone higher but this is my 3rd bench session in less than a week, so i decided to give my tris a little break

Those are some huge JM presses.

I may not have been doing them right then. I was pretty much doing a close grip bench just lowered to my neck or throat while trying not to let my wrists bend back. At least that's what I got from youtube :p

Seth Thompson wrote:

I may not have been doing them right then. I was pretty much doing a close grip bench just lowered to my neck or throat while trying not to let my wrists bend back. At least that's what I got from youtube :p

Dave Tate has a pretty good video of him teaching the JM press:





To embed videos, click on the little icon that looks like a film reel right above the text box as you're posting (it's right on the edge of the right 1/3 of the box or so). A little box will open up and you just copy/paste the URL of the youtube video in to it.

Otherwise, you can just copy/paste the URL into the text box, and then put [youtube]the URL goes here[/youtube] around it.

Thanks for that, Chris. That helped clear up a few of the details that will help me do it with a little better form. The depth was definitely a question for me. We will see how this goes when I do them next week now.

Had a good lift today, but I was ready to get out of that zoo.

Box squats
185x2x10 (1 min rest)
205x2
225x2
245x2

Speed deadlifts (1 min rest)
240x2x5

Reverse hypers
blue bandx8x4

Pendlay rows
185x8x4

GHR
45x6x3

Cable pulldown abs
77.5x10
82.5x10x4

Got to the CRWC for an extra squat day, along with a bunch of snatches. I kept my weight very low on the snatches so I can reteach myself the proper form and movement. I haven't done these since high school but it was actually a lot of fun.

Squat
bx5
95x5
135x3
185x3
225x3
275x3

OH squat
bx5
65x5
95x3x2

Behind the neck snatch drill
bx5x2

Snatch from the hang (no squat)
bx5
65x3
75x3
95x3x2

Snatch from the hang w/ squat
95x0
95x1x2
95x2
95x1

Snatch from floor
95x1
95x2
95x2





I didn't move my weights up at all to keep myself from dying. Next week I will most likely see if I can put any weight on the bar. I know its far from perfect, any tips from you guys that do oly lifts?